Thursday, 11 August 2011

The ‘Independent’ Holds A ‘Missing The Bloody Point By A Mile’ Contest (Part II)…

London has woken up to street violence, and the usual narratives have emerged – punish those responsible for the violence because they are "opportunist criminals" and "disgusting thieves".

Ooooh, god forbid there should be punishment…

The slightly more intellectually curious…

Translation: ‘People who think just a little bit like me, but not enough’.

… might blame the trouble on poor police relations or lack of policing.

Surely not? *chortle*

What about you?

My own view is that the police in this country do an impressive job and unjustly carry the consequences of a much wider social dysfunction. Before you take a breath of sarcasm thinking "here she goes, excusing the criminals with some sob story"…

Yeah, you got me there!

… I want to begin by stating two things. First, violence and looting can never be justified. Second, for those of us working at street level, we're not surprised by these events.

Working ‘at street level’? Don’t you spend all your time at BBC TV HQ or charity events?

How, we ask, could they attack their own community with such disregard? But the young people would reply "easily", because they feel they don't actually belong to the community.

Community, they would say, has nothing to offer them.

A wise man once said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask instead what you can do for your country’. Perhaps you should tell them that. In fact, he had other observations that would stand them well too.

The insidious flourishing of anti-establishment attitudes is paradoxically helped by the establishment. It grows when a child is dragged by their mother to social services screaming for help and security guards remove both; or in the shiny academies which, quietly, rid themselves of the most disturbed kids. Walk into the mental hospitals and there is nothing for the patients to do except peel the wallpaper. Go to the youth centre and you will find the staff have locked themselves up in the office because disturbed young men are dominating the space with their violent dogs.

What should they do, then? Get themselves savaged?

It's not one occasional attack on dignity, it's a repeated humiliation, being continuously dispossessed in a society rich with possession.

Most of these street rats seem to have had the latest mobiles and trainers even before the looting…

Our leaders still speak about how protecting the community is vital. The trouble is, the deal has gone sour. The community has selected who is worthy of help and who is not.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the community is right…

I got a call yesterday morning. The kids gave me a run-down of what had happened in Brixton. A street party had been invaded by a group of young men out to grab. A few years ago, the kids who called me would have joined in, because they had nothing to lose. One had been permanently excluded from six schools. When he first arrived at Kids Company he cared so little that he would smash his head into a pane of glass and bite his own flesh off with rage. He'd think nothing of hurting others. After intensive social care and support he walked away when the riots began because he held more value in his membership of a community that has embraced him than a community that demanded his dark side.

He didn’t try to stop the rioting.

He didn’t call the emergency services.

He didn’t stay to help the injured.

He walked away.

That’s the best you can do, Camilla? Is that the best your much vaunted charity can manage?

Ah yes, it's good to see the left floundering round once again to justify their vague theories of social repression and the supposed nastiness of people who don't think as they do. Still, it fills space in the Indy, so you can see its value here.

You know what I think the police in general have done bloody well in the past few days. They didn't shoot anyone who was innocent, did kick shit out of a few scrots and didn't persue right minded people who might even have broken the law to protect theirs homes and businesses.

Government as well has dragged scum to courts, indicated when identified their state benefits and homes are gone.

SO CHAVS, listen now and listen hard your sick fuck days are numbered, no one wants you, like you and your stoopid music and pants round your arse image is just a figure of fun. NEXT!

I sooooooooooooooo wanna go to several estates I know of and just unload. Fekless, usless, selfish, scum that have the balls to tell us how bad their life is, how many disabilities they have, how their children are out of control. FUCK YOU! PARASITES!

Walked away? Obviously they left out this bit out of the 'intensive social care and support' then? -

'it was the right and duty at common law of every citizen in whose presence an actual or reasonably apprehended breach of peace was being or about to be committed to make the person who was breaking or threatening to break the peace refrain from so doing and, in appropriate cases, to detain him against his will.'

MTG, I know that's you again.The word TROLL is one you have used to describe me before.I assume it applies to anyone who dares to disagree with you? I do feel a little outnumbered on here with the anti-police comments but I like to think I put reasoned arguments without resorting to swearing or too many personal jibes.Yes I am paid at public expense but I promise I only post here in my own time. I do get the odd day off (but just not at the moment)Jaded